Aftermath
by rcf1989
Summary: Castle tries to rescue Beckett yet he ends up rescuing someone else, Agent Shaw. Secrets are revealed and new bounds develop. Set after 2x17.


Only a few minutes have passed since Beckett's appartment exploded and started to be eaten by flames. Castle had witnessed it all, from the street. He was shocked, he wanted to run and take the door down, that is if it was still up, and find her but the fear was stopping him until he heard the distant sirens of ambulances, firetrucks and the police.

That's when Castle reacted and rushed into the building, looking for Beckett. As soon as he was inside, he started to yell her name and started to walk untill run into each other.

"Kate! Are you alright?" He asked after hugging her.

"Ye... Yeah but Jordan... Jordan's trapped in the appartment."

"Jordan? Our Jordan Shaw?"

"Yes, she somehow managed to get in and dragged me out.. I don't know how she did it."

"Where is she?"

"I told you, she's trapped! She yelled at me to get out... And pushed me to the door when... It exploded, but before she threw her coat for me." Said Beckett pointing at it.

"We have to get her out now."

And as soon as those words left Castle's mouth, they heard another explotion above them, coming from Beckett's appartment again.

"I'm going in, right now. You go outside, the ambulace is here already so get checked."

"Castle, you can't..."

"Get out!" He yelled at her as he started to run upstairs, leaving a puzzled Beckett behind.

Castle approached the scene as fast as he could, trying to find Agent Shaw around the floor, with no luck. He got closer to what was left of Beckett's appartment and walked in, being careful with the flames and trying not to inhale the smoke. He looked around, calling her name with no luck. After a few more minutes passed, he found one of her black shoes and hoped to find her near which happened as he spotted the other shoe yet this time still on her foot... All still being part of her, trapped under part of the roof and a bookshelf.

Castle tried to wake her up but Jordan seemed unconcious as she did not react to anything he was doing. Hearing something was about to crack near them, Castle rushed to remove all that was over her, having a harder time removing the bookshelf, and picked her up from the floor just in time before another part of the ceiling fell down. Carrying her, he walked leaving what was left of the appartment and downstairs to the street where everyone was there already.

Beckett was in one of the ambulances, almost ready to go to the hospital yet she asked to wait for Castle's return and everyone was shocked at the writer's sight with the Special Agent on his arms, unconcious still, and messy. She also had burns and cuts in her clothes and skin, also darkened due to the smoke and dust. Carefully, Castle placed her on a stretcher and asked to go with her in the ambulance to the hospital, which is something nobody had expected as if anything, they'd imagine he'd go with Beckett.

As they arrived to the hospital, Jordan was rushed into an emergency OR as during the ride, one of the paramedics noticed how a piece of the bookshelf had stabbed in her chest and probably, reached her lung. As well as a broken leg and wrist. But everyone agreed she had been lucky enough to survive both explotions, and all to save the life of a woman that thought of her as a threat in her life stealing her thunder not only at work but also from Castle.

"Dad!" Exclaimed Alexis as she run to him to hug him.

"Hey... What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" Asked Martha as she was already standing next to her son and granddaughter.

"Yeah, right. Didn't I tell you to stay home?"

"We were worried for you and Kate" Said Martha.

"Beckett! How is she?" Asked Castle, as until then he had forgotten about her.

"Isn't she in the OR?" Asked Alexis

"No, it's Jordan."

"Jordan who?"

"Shaw. Special Agent Jordan Shaw, she's been with us since the second murder and riskedher life to save Beckett."

"And you risked yorus for hers?" Asked Alexis again.

"I didn't...."

"Dad! Ryan told us!" There was another explotion and you told Beckett to leave the building and then got into her appartment to find Agent Shaw."

"Before it collapsed and burnt down." Added Marthan. "Richard... are you sure you don't like her?"

And when Castle was about to answer, he spotted Beckett, Ryan and Esposito by the end of the corridor.

"The man of hour." Said Ryan.

"From making pancakes to rescuing ladies in danger. Something's really going on here." Said Esposito.

"Enough." Said Beckett looking at them. "Agent Shaw risked her life for me and Castle kind of risked his to get her out of my appartment. Any news about her?"

"Still undergoing surgery. And that she's lucky to get out of this one." Said Castle.

"So she's out of risk?"

"Unless something unexpected happens... Yes, out of risk."

"That's good. I've talked with the family so her daughter and husband will be here soon."

"Husband?" Asked a shocked Castle.

"Like having a daughter wasn't shocking enough." Said Beckett.

"Maybe I could spend time with her until she can see her mom?" Suggested Alexis.

"That's a good idea." Said Martha.

"And you're around the same age... And she can't wait to meet you." Said Beckett looking at Castle.

"Me?"

"Turns out, she's read ll your books and I bet she'll adore you more after finding out you saved her mother." Said Beckett. "Good luck with the fangirl, we're off to the scene. Call me when you've got news."

Hours passed by with hardly any news. Victoria, Jordan's daughter, arrived and sometime later her father, Richard. Victoria spent most of the time with Alexis, as they quickly hit it off and decided that although they didn't meet in the best moment that wouldn't stop them from being friends, so they exchanged numbers and emails. As they were talking, Alexis told her who was her dad and what he did for Victoria's mom, and proved Beckett's theory was right as the girl now thought of Castle as a little hero and couldn't wait to meet him. As thay talked, Castle told her about the Federal Heat joke and Victoria explained him that if he really meant it and explained it to Jordan in a logical way, and so, seriously, she'd give him the permission to go ahead with it. At the same time, Alexis was talking with Martha and told her something quite juicy about Jordan that both knew Castle would be delighted about as soon as that information reached his ears.

It wasn't until amost 5 in the morning when they were told that Jordan was in a room and out of risk yet they were monitoring her to be sure; also they could visit her yet she was still a little sedated and so she wouldn't be coherent at first. As agreed, Castle called Beckett to inform her and she said they'd go back to the hospital to see her. At the same time, Victoria texted her dad telling him the good news though she wasn't sure if he'd go to visit her after all.

However, Jordan was asleep and in the end, the effects wouldn't start to wash off until a few hours more, yet that didn't stop Castle from getting in her room and sitting on a chair next to her bed, holding her right hand as that was the one which didn't break. Victoria followed him, and sat on the other side, soon falling asleep like Castle and everyone else in the waiting room.

Around 8 in the morning, Jordan woke up. She felt she was laying on a bed and that someone wash olding her hand. She would've opened her eyes but she had a pounding headache and so, knew more light would only make it worse. As she tried to cover her eyes with her free hand, she noticed the cast she now had and even before she could reached her eyes, she noticed how the light changed, they had been switched off.

"_Someone must've turned them off" _She thought.

"Better now?" Asked a male voice she recognized as Ric hard's.

"Yes, thank you." She said almost in a whisper. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"After what happened... I thought you..."

"What? That I'd be somewhere else? I've been with you since I got you out of the appartment."

"You rescued me? Or whatever you had to do to get me out?"

"Yeah, not an easy task but I did it."

"Well... Thank you for... Saving my life. How's detective Beckett?"

"She's doing well, still a little shocked."

"I'd like to talk with her later."

"She's been here since you left the OR, so I think she wants to talk to you, too."

"And Victoria?"

"I'm here mom." Said the girl and reached for her mother's hand.

"How long have you been here?"

"All night. We were so worried for you."

"Sweetie, you shouldn't..."

"Mom, I couldn't stay at home! I had to be here." She said and then sit on the bed. "I'm glad you're fine, even if with some broken bones, but you're alive. " She then leaned down to hug Jordan and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to eat something and talk with Alexis."

"Who is Alexis?"

"Castle's daughter."

"He's a dad?"

"Yes, and a good one. He was with me for a while when you had surgery."

"Well I guess I'll really have to get him something for looking aftery ou and being useful, too."

Victoria laughed. "I'll be back soon. Alexis and Martha, her grandma, are already awake. Behave."

As she left, Jordan returned her attention to the man next to her.

"Lay here with me" She said and didn't take him much to lay there next to her.

"Better?"

"Not yet..." Said Jordan, before she laid on her side with her head over his shoulder and placed one of his arms around her waist, then her hand over his chest and smiled, still keeping her eyes closed. "Now it is."

Castle didn't know what to do now. Clearly, Jordan thought he was Richard... Well that was his name, but she was thinking of her Richard, the one she was married to. He had to tell her before it lead into something else waiting to happen...

"Rick?" She said whispering.

"Yes?"

"I still love you, after everything that's happened. I really do."

And before he could say a word, she had leaned over him and kissed him tenderly, something he hadn't seen coming but enjoyed as he was the one that deppened the kiss and held her closer. Everyone had been seeing and hearing it all, and their faces were all the same: wide eyes and mouths dropped.

"Does she know it's Castle?" Asked Ryan.

"No, so I'd say he's going to be in toruble soon..." Said Esposito.

"When isn't he in trouble?" Asked Beckett."

"We're talking about my son, always doing what he shouldn't with women." Said Martha.

"They're startingto pull away..." Said Ryan.

"10 bucks mom freaks out on him." Said Victoria.

"I'm in, and he'll say she came onto him." Said Alexis.

"Count me in too. She's gonna smakc him with the cast." Said Lanie.

"I go for the husband trying to smack him." Said Esposito.

"Anyone else?"

"Me... The husband's getting in right now to smack the guy." Said none but one of them knew...

"Dad! No!" Exclaimed Victoria.

"Oh, crap!" Said Castle as the door opened.

"What the..." Said Jordan as she opened her eyes and found herself face to face with Castle. "YOU!!"

"Yeah, me, surprise?"

"And a bad one! I thought you were..."

"Me?" Asked Richard.

"Yes." Said Jordan as she turned her head to look at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Look after you but I see you in the arms of another man."

"I'm not in..." She was saying until she noticed how she had positioned herself earlier and moved away from Castle. "Even if I was, it's none of your business."

"You're my wife!"

"Have you been drinking again?"

"Stinking drunk." Said Castle.

"Why don't you tell your boyfriend to shut up, eh?"

"I'm not with... Him." She said and looked at Castle. "You're right but let me handle this."

"Yeah... And that's why you were kissing?" Asked Richard.

"I thought it was you. He was talking like how you used to talk whenever I got sick and had to stay home..."

"She came onto me!" Said Castle and Jordan nuged him to shut up.

"I had my eyes closed all the time, I thought it was you all along. Everything I said was about you, not Castle." She said and sighed. "Too good to be true, eh? I don't know why I was thinking you'd been here with me all night... Or rescued me from Beckett's appartment..."

"But you still cheated on me, Jordan."

"Technically? I didn't. It hasn't been formalized yet but we're not longer married."

"What?"

"You don't remember?" She asked concerned. "We signed the divorce papers last month, Rick."

And those were the news Victoria had shared with Alexis and Alexis with Martha, the ones they knew Castle would love to hear. Things have been going downhill for the past two years, and with Rick's current alcoholism all turned dark. Jordan still loved him but there's been too much damage done and there was no turning back, especially after Rick refused any kind of treatment to recover, making him lose the custody battle over Victoria.

So after Castle heard it all, he tried hard not to smile as that meant he had a chance to fight for Jordan. She may had thought she was kissing her former husband, but he felt something so he had to ask her later if she felt the same thing. After all, Martha was right when she asked him if he liked Jordan. He did like her, a lot, plus she had all those toys he loved.

But the wishful thinking didn't last for long as Richard pulled out a gun and pointed at Castle with it.

"He can't have you."

"He doesn't have me."

"No one else can."

"Rick, put the gun down. Now."

"You're stuck in bed, you can't do anything."

"Put. The. Gun. DOWN!"

"Jordan, don't..."

"Don't what? Dare to shoot any of us and you'll end up setenced to life in prisonment for attemping to murder a federal Agent."

"Don't make this more difficult."

"You're the one making it more difficult. Dropt the gun and it's over, nobody get's hurt and we won't press charges against you, I promise."

As Jordan spoke, she saw Ryan and Esposito lowly getting into the room to pull Rick away but when they approached him, he accidentally pulled the trigger and so shoot in Jordan and Castle's direction, hitting one of them with the bullet.

Everyone had worried expressions as they couldn't tell who got shot, they were so close to each other again and neither made a movement. So after Ryan and Esposito managed to arrest Rick and take him out of the room, Alexis, Victoria, Martha and Beckett rushed into the room to check on them.

"Mom? Dad?" Asked Victoria and Alexis at the same time.

As they looked at them, it seemed like the bullet had reached Castle's chest as around that aread, the sheet that was over them had started to get bloody, yet as soon as Beckett pulled it down, they all saw the blood was coming from Jordan's arm, the one she had broken and so had a cast around it.

"You get shot and still have time to hold hands." Said Martha, as she noticed Castle's hand holding Jordan's.

"Part of my charm." He finally said.

"Can we leave the chit chat for later? I have a bullet in my arm." Said Jordan.

"Mom, can't you be softer for once?"

"I'm sorry. I'm in enough pain already but well, better a bit more than one of us dead, right?"

Soon, a group of doctors and nurses walked in and asked everyone to leave so that they could check Jordan's arm. She needed to get the cast removed and then surgery. At least, this time the yused novacaine for her arm so she was awake during the procedure and when she was brought back to her room, the Rodgers – Castle familywas waiting as well as her daughter.

"Shouldn't you and Alexis be at school?" Asked Jordan looking at Victoria.

"Yes but..."

"Richard called their schools and explained what happened so they have permission to skip school this week." Said Martha.

Jordan then looked at him with a puzzle expression and Castle smiled.

"Mother, Alexis, Victoria? Would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes please?"

"Of course not. Let's go, we still haven't had breakfast and I'm starving." Said Martha before leaving with the girls.

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, none of them knew what to say now. As they looked around the room, they glanced at each other at times and when their eyes met, both blused and quickly looked away.

"Let's get done with this" Said Jordan, finally.

Nodding, Castle say on the edge of her bed and helped her to sit up properly.

"So..." He said.

"Why did you get in the appartment? You could've ended up like me or worse."

"I couldn't leave you there. A bit after I found you and picked you up to carry you outside, the ceiling collapsed over where you were trapped."

"Oh so I literally owe you one for saving me..."

"You saved Beckett... And you took a bullet for me. Are you sure you don't like me?" He winked.

"Then I guess we're even?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"We are."

"I'd still want to thank you some other way."

"You still didn't get me that ice cream."

"Okay, I'll get you that." She said smiling a little.

"It's a date."

"What?"

"You're divorced and so am I, we kissed... It's a date."

"I... I..." Sighing, Jordan nodded in agreement. "Why didn't you stop me earlier?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I cuddled with you... And then kissed you..."

"Ah, that... I thought you needed someone there with you... And the kiss was just a surprise."

"If had been a surprise, you wouldn't have kissed me the way you did."

"Okay, I just pushed it there, you know, trying to play my cards."

"Always up for a risk?"

"Yes, so did it work?"

"Do you like me, Castle?"

"NO!" He exclaimed though he knew he'd had to be honest with her as she'd catch him lying. "I mean... Yes... But..."

"But what?"

"I don't know how to... Erm... Interact with you."

"Do you find me intimidating?"

"A little... And geeky, you know with all your high tech system... And attractive."

"And cold hearted too, remember?" She asked raising a brow.

"Right. But you haven't seemed like it for the pass 24 hours."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Well at least we're going on a date so that's something."

"What else?"

"Give you the support you need in a hard time like this..." He said as he got closer to her, laying down again and held her like before. "Be there for you when you need me... Do anything you ask of me..." He said and took her hand, the one that was still fine, and kissed it.

"Are you always like this with the woman you want?"

"Only with the one who has a soft side, is a little geek like me, saved me life and..."

"Just kiss me." Said Jordan looking into his blue eyes.

Slowly, they closed the gap between them as their lips in a soft kiss turning bit by bit into something more passionate, though Castle was being gentle with her as he didn't want her to be in more pain. A couple of minutes later, they pulled apart but remained still close. Both had a little smile on their faces as Jordan leaned her head over his chest to rest.

"It seems we have public." Said Castle joking but being serious at the same time.

"Oops... We got caught." Said Jordan smiling still as she looked back at the window and saw Martha, Victoria and Alexis kind of cheering on them as they were eating.

"They find us more entertaining than tv."

"Why watch a soap opera when you have an action movie before your eyes?"

"Very true."

"And as I'm the geek girl... I'll let you play with my toys." She said looking back at him.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, and I'll get you that app for your phone, too. But no playing with my guns nor the tazer."

"Guns? How many guns you have?"

"Ah, ah, ah. We already kissed before the first date, so no gun number."

"C'mon... Just a little number..."

"No. And I mean it, don't play with the tazer. You were good with it but no games."

"You're so sexy when you get bossy..." He said and kissed her.

Caught by surprise, Jordan couldn't help it and let out a soft moan, making Castle smirk as he pulled back.

"Don't make fun of me, and I'm very bossy so get used to it and more when I'm so useless like now."

"You're not useless."

"I am. I can't go running around now. I'll be stuck at the office with paper work or at home."

"Then you'd have a normal schedule for a while and we could spend time together, and with Victoria as well."

"You think of everything, don't you?"

"I'm a writer, comes along with me."

"Uhm... Maybe I borrow all your books, Victoria has them all so I guess I should read them now... Except Heat Wave, I read it in a couple of days."

"You did?"

"Yeah, and I liked it. And that sex scene was.... Hot and it made me think of something."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm... Did you mean what you said about Federal Heat or it was just one of your jokes?"

"I've got the idea in my head since then."

"Well and if I tell you... That the cold hearted federal agent is willing to let you write that book?"

"Is she letting me write someone based on her?"

"Yes, and she wouldn't mind having you around either. She likes you, even if she doesn't really get your sense of humor yet or why do you need to touch things so much."

"Aren't I lucky? New muse and possible... Girfriend?"

"Maybe we get there if we can deal with each other. I'm willing to try."

"And so am I."

"Also, I had a little sugestion for the character."

"I'm listening."

"She may be that cold hearted at first but..." She said and then leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Then she could only start to warm up to our writer, making their chemistry too visible even at work, making Nikki jealous as she tries to uncover the truth about them until she finds out they're together, and maybe, the federal agent and the writer end up tangled in a bed together... And not only in fiction." Said Jordan and then bit his earlobe gently, before placing a soft kiss on the same spot and as she moved down, brushed her lips briefly against Castle's before laying back in his arms.

"Is it hot in here or it's just me?"

"I guess you liked that little idea, don't you?"

"You just read my mind. And there's really going to be some heat."

"Well now you have two good reasons to call the book Federal Heat."


End file.
